Leucanthemum plant named ‘Sunny Side Up’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant named ‘Sunny Side Up’, characterized by its upright plant habit; daisy-type inflorescences; and white-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc florets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofLeucanthemum plant, botanically known as Leucanthemum maximum andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunny Side Up’.

The new Leucanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of anunidentified selection of Leucanthemum maximum, not patented. The newLeucanthemum was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environmentin Warmond, The Netherlands, within a population of plants of theunidentified selection of Leucanthemum maximum in 1998. The selection ofthis new Leucanthemum was based on its inflorescence form and largedisc. Compared to plants of the parent selection, plants of the newLeucanthemum have many more ray and disc florets per inflorescence.

Asexual reproduction of the new Leucanthemum by vegetative tip cuttingswas first conducted in Warmond, The Netherlands in 1997. Asexualreproducton by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newLeucanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunny Side Up has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or lightlevel, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The followng traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunny Side Up’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunny Side Up’ as a new and distinctLeucanthemum:

1. Upright plant habit.

2. Large daisy-type inflorescences that are about 7.5 cm in diameter.

3. White-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompnaying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Leucanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the first sheet comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunny Side Up’. Thephotograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Sunny Side Up’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-upview of the upper surface of a mature leaf of ‘Sunny Side Up’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants ofthe new cultivar grown in the field under outdoor conditions during thespring and summer in Warmond, The Netherlands. Plants used in thephotographs and the detailed botanical description were about 25 to 35weeks from planting rooted cuttings. Color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Leucanthemum maximum cultivar Sunny Side Up.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unidentifiedseedling selection of Leucanthemum maximum, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.

Time to produce a rooted liner.—About 40 days during the spring inWarmond, The Netherlands.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Upright and broad plant habit. Freely basal branching withabout 8 to 10 lateral branches per plant. Moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 50 cm.

Plant width.—About 50 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 50 cm. Diameter: About 4 to 7 mm.Internode length: About 1.5 to 5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Immaturebranches, pubescent; mature branches, glabrous; longitudinally ridged.Color: 143A to 143B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: alternate, simple, sessile. Quantityof leaves per lateral stem: About 13. Length, basal leaves: About 19 cm.Width, basal leaves: About 3 cm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic to elongatedoblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, bothsurfaces: Leathery, rugose, pubescent. Venation pattern: Anastomosing.Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 141A to 143A. Young foliage, lowersurface: 143A. Mature foliage, upper surface: 137A. Mature foliage,lower surface: 137C to 138A. Venation, both surfaces: 143C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic-shaped rayflorets. Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage. Disc and rayflorets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences persistent.Not fragrant. Typically one terminal inflorescence per lateral branch.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower in the latesummer in Warmond, The Netherlands.

Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color andsubstance for about 3 weeks on the plant.

Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 2 cm. Shape:Flattened sphere. Color: 153C.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm.

Ray florets..—Shape: Elliptic. Orientation: Initially upright, thenabout 90° from vertical or perpendicular to peduncle. Aspect: Initiallyincurved, then mostly flat to reflexed. Length: About 2.6 cm. Width:About 9 mm. Apex: Obtuse, emarginate or praemorse. Base: Acute; shortcorolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Number of rayflorets per inflorescence: About 36 arranged in two rows. Color: Whenopening, upper and lower surfaces: 157D. Fully opened, upper and lowersurfaces: Close to 155D.

Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle. Shape:Tubular, elongated. Apex: Acute. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 0.9mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: More than 200. Color:Immature: 13B. Mature: Apex: Close to 7A. Mid-section and base: 155D.

Phyllaries.—Quantity/arrangement: About 47 in two to three whorls.Phyllary length: About 8 mm. Phyllary whorl diameter: About 2.9 cm.Shape: Lanceolate to subulate. Apex: Praemorse to obtuse. Margin:Entire. Texture: Smooth, slightly ribbed. Color: Upper surface: 141B.Lower surface: 143A to 143B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamenquantity: Five. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 0.3 mm.Anther color: Close to 7A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to7A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil quantity:One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Stigma color:Close to 7A. Style length: About 4.5 mm. Style color: 145C. Ovary color:145D.

Seed.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: 200A to 202A.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toLeucanthemums has not been observed on plants of the new Leucanthemum.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plantnamed ‘Sunny Side Up’, as illustrated and described.